Magic news: Jonathan Isaac addresses possibility of playing if season gets delayed further

Magic big man Jonathan Isaac was expected to be out for the season with a knee injury, but the delay might give him a chance at a return if play resumes.

With the season currently put on hold indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, NBA players have been left with pretty much nothing to do at home — just like the rest of us. This delay, however, has also provided some players with some additional time in their respective road to recoveries from injury. This is exactly the case for Orlando Magic youngster Jonathan Isaac.

Isaac admitted that he might just be able to recover from his knee injury — one that was supposed to be of the season-ending variety — if the restart of the season gets pushed back any further. The Magic big man would certainly love to be able to play:

“That’s the question that I’ve been getting most as well,” Isaac responded when asked if we could potentially see him back again this season, via Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “And I love the question. It’s a great question. It’s an amazing question. It’s one that I’m asking myself in terms of, ‘Listen, the farther that this goes back on, as my rehab continues to progress, is there a window where I could possibly play?'

My answer is: If there is, then great! If I’m ready to play when this thing adjourns, I want to play.”

Isaac went on to say, however, that the decision will not be his alone. The Magic as an organization will have a big say:

“I can’t really speak for the front office,” said the 22-year-old. “I can’t speak for everybody as a whole. At the end of the day, it really comes down to them because they want to make sure that everything is good, that I’m preserved and everything. And that’s great.

“But if I’m in a place where my knee is great, my mental (outlook) is great, my spirit is great and I’m in a place where I can play a game and I have a couple of weeks of conditioning, a couple of weeks of basketball where I’m like, ‘I’m set and I’m ready to play,' then I’ll go ahead and play.”

Isaac went down in early January after suffering a severe left knee sprain and a bone contusion. He was having a stellar season prior to the injury, averaging 12.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.4 blocks.

The Magic entered the hiatus with a record of 30-35, 5.5 games ahead of the Washington Wizards for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.